Versinetic’s Migration Decision Matrix helps EV charger manufacturers decide when to update OCPP support

Versinetic supplies white-label hardware, software and load-balancing systems to EV charging companies. Now the company has launched a software tool to help EV charger manufacturers’ engineering teams decide when, and how, to migrate from OCPP 1.6 to OCPP 2.1.

“The OCPP Migration Decision Matrix provides a structured framework for evaluating technical, commercial and operational factors, including fleet size, field upgrade capability, customer requirements and product roadmaps,” the company explains.

According to Versinetic, many engineering teams encounter the same three pitfalls when planning protocol migration: 

• Treating OCPP 2.x as a complete platform rewrite instead of a phased evolution.
• Embedding protocol logic throughout charger firmware instead of isolating it within a dedicated software layer, making future upgrades more complex.
• Underestimating the interoperability challenges presented by different charging management systems and large installed fleets.

As procurement specifications increasingly reference OCPP 2.x capabilities, manufacturers must decide how and when to introduce those capabilities without disrupting development programs. Versinetic believes manufacturers should focus on adopting the capabilities that deliver genuine commercial and operational value, rather than treating migration as a race to the latest protocol version.

While OCPP 1.6 remains the most widely deployed protocol across existing EV charging infrastructure, OCPP 2.1 introduces enhanced security, a richer device model, improved diagnostics, more advanced smart charging capabilities and support for emerging technologies such as vehicle-to-grid (V2G).

“Supporting OCPP 2.1 doesn’t automatically mean rebuilding your platform,” said Ricardo Silva, Firmware Engineer at Versinetic. “The manufacturers making the fastest progress are focusing on the capabilities their customers actually need while designing their software so OCPP 1.6 and 2.x can coexist during the transition.”

Versinetic recommends a staged migration strategy, keeping proven OCPP 1.6 products stable while introducing OCPP 2.x on new platforms or selected deployments in which the benefits are clear. A modular software architecture, in which protocol logic is separated from core application functionality, enables manufacturers to support multiple protocol versions while reducing future engineering effort.

Silva concluded: “Protocol migration shouldn’t be driven by the latest version number. It should be driven by business priorities, customer requirements and an architecture that allows products to evolve without slowing development.”

Source: Versinetic